At least half a dozen endorsement, investment and collaboration deals have been signed by various cricketers amid rising viewership numbers for the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) over the last two-three weeks, executives said. A similar number of pacts are in the process of being finalised, they said.

Chennai Super Kings star player MS Dhoni has been signed by nutrition startup Explosive Whey, in which he’ll also be investing. French carmaker Citroen and Emcure Pharmaceuticals have also signed Dhoni as a brand ambassador. Appliances maker Philips has collaborated with Virat Kohli for a limited-edition, co-designed beard trimmer. Wearables brand boAt has signed Yashasvi Jaiswal, while Shikhar Dhawan has been signed by eyewear start-up QUE as an investor and ambassador.

Dhoni said the partnership with supplements maker Explosive Whey was ‘a natural fit’ for him. The collaboration with Citroen is aimed at improving brand awareness and market share.

Deals are being signed by established cricketers and newer entrants with brands looking to leverage the tournament for visibility as well as cutting through the clutter. The endorsement deals for top cricketers such as Kohli or Dhoni are estimated to be in the range of Rs 3-5 crore per year, while upcoming players can expect deals worth Rs 75 lakh-Rs 1 crore per year.

Last fortnight, boAt announced Yashasvi Jaiswal as a new ‘boAthead’ in a video featuring both of them. IPL television broadcasting rights holder Disney Star reported a significant increase in viewership for the ongoing tournament compared to previous editions.

Apart from the new endorsement and collaboration deals, some brands have also released new campaigns featuring the players they are associated with, including Rohit Sharma for eyewear maker Oakley and Virat Kohli for air conditioner maker Blue Star.